This invention generally relates to a seating system for a vehicle. More specifically, this invention relates to a seating system for a vehicle which enables a vehicle seat to be rotated about a vertical axis to allow easy ingress and egress when a vehicle door is opened.
Conventional vehicles include seats which are generally fixed in a forward facing orientation and adjacent doors which pivot about a single axis between an opened position and a closed position. Although such conventional seats and doors have been employed in vehicles for years, such door and seating arrangements have several drawbacks. First, ingress and egress out of the vehicle is often difficult due to the minimum amount of space in front of the seat in a relatively small opening provided when the door is ajar. Ingress and egress into and from the vehicle is even more difficult for those with physical impairments or handicaps. With such seating and door arrangements, it is also extremely difficult to position a child in a child restraining unit or seat. As a result, there is a continuing need for a vehicle door and seating arrangement which provides easier ingress and egress into and from the vehicle and which enables a parent or other individual to more easily position a small child in a child restraining unit or seat.
Second, in addition to making it more difficult to enter or leave a vehicle, such seating and door arrangements also impose severe restrictions on the actual design of the vehicle door and the vehicle frame. Because the door pivots about a single axis, greater clearance between the door and the vehicle frame is required to enable the door to completely close. This greater clearance between the door and the vehicle frame results in an imperfect seal between the door and the frame creating noise and leakage concerns. Moreover, because the door pivots about a single axis, the opening provided when the door is ajar is limited in size. As a result, to provide a sufficiently sized opening to permit ingress and egress into and from the vehicle, the length of the door must be relatively large to provide an appropriate opening width. Because of overall size limitations, increasing the length of the door ultimately results in reduction in the size of the frame and reduced rigidity and strength of the vehicle frame. In addition, because the door pivots about a single axis between the closed and ajar positions, the door must generally extend in a vertical plane. As a result, there is a continuing need for a door arrangement that has reduced clearance requirements, that forms a better seal with the vehicle frame and that can be reduced in size and provided with an overall different configuration while still providing a driver or passenger with a sufficiently sized opening to easily exit or enter the vehicle.
Accordingly, this invention provides for a seating system for a vehicle that overcomes the problems and disadvantages of the conventional techniques in the art. The invention provides for a seating system that positions the seat at an angle relative to the opening created by the door and that pivots the seat in response to the opening and closing of the door.
According to one preferred embodiment, a vehicle includes a frame having a front, a rear, a first side and a second side, a door pivotably coupled to the frame, a seat pivotably coupled to the frame, a slot formed in one of the door and the seat, and an arm coupled to the other of the door and the seat. The arm has a portion slidably and rotatably disposed within the slot. As a result, pivotal movement of the door rotates the seat between a passenger riding position in which the seat faces a front of the frame and a passenger loading position in which the seat faces an opening formed between the door and the frame when the door is ajar.
According to another embodiment, a vehicle seating system for use with a vehicle having a front, a rear, a first side, a second side, a frame, a seat and a door pivotably supported proximate the seat is provided. The seating system includes a pivot support adapted pivotably support the seat relative to the frame, an elongate member adapted to be coupled to one of the door and the seat, and an arm adapted to be coupled to the other of the door and the seat. The elongate member includes an elongate slot. The arm has a portion slidably and rotatably disposed within the slot. Pivotal movement of the door rotates the seat.
According to another preferred embodiment, a vehicle includes a frame having a front, a rear, a first side and a second side, a door pivotably coupled to the frame, a seat pivotably coupled to the frame, and a slave link. The extension extends from the seat and has a portion pivotably coupled to the door at a first door location. The slave link has a first portion pivotably coupled to the frame and second portion pivotably coupled to the door at a second door location. Pivotal movement of the door rotates the seat between a passenger riding position in which the seat faces the front of the frame and a passenger loading position in which the seat faces an opening formed between the door and the frame when the door is ajar.
According to another preferred embodiment, a vehicle seating system for use with a vehicle having a front, a rear, a first side, a second side, a frame, a seat and a door is provided. The system includes a pivot support adapted to pivotably support the seat relative to the frame, an extension and a slave link. The extension extends from the seat and has a portion adapted to be pivotably coupled to the door at a first door location. The second link has a first portion adapted to be pivotably coupled to the frame and a second portion adapted to be pivotably coupled to the door at a second door location.
According to yet another preferred embodiment, a vehicle includes a frame having a front, a rear, a first side and a second side, a door having a front portion proximate the front of the frame and a rear portion proximate the rear of the frame, a seat pivotably coupled to the frame and at least one rigid member coupled to the seat and the door. The door is pivotably coupled to the frame proximate the rear portion of the door. Pivotal movement of the door rotates the seat between a passenger riding position in which the seat faces the front of the frame and a passenger loading position in which the seat faces an opening formed between the door and the frame when the door is ajar.
Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following discussion and accompanying drawings.